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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +27719369412 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • charlesbotha01@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: charles botha <charlesbotha_011@msn.com>
Reply-To: <charlesbotha01@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 2 May 2009 09:00:11 +0000
Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT TRANSFER




FROM: MR. CHARLES BOTHA
TEL : +277 193 694 12
EMAIL:charlesbotha01@gmail.com


REQUEST FOR URGENT TRANSFER

I am Mr. Charles Botha the manager of Auditing and Accounting department of a prime bank in South Africa . In my department, I discovered an abandoned sum of US$26 Million dollars (twenty six million dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died of heart attack.
I need someone with a foreign account to be able to receive this money, even an empty account can serve to claim this money. Should you be willing to complete this transaction, send to me your private telephone and fax number for easy and effective communication and location on my private email:charlesbotha01@gmail.com
As soon as the transfer is concluded you are entitled to 25% of the total fund.
Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you more details on this transaction trusting to hear from you.

I await your response.

Best regards,

MR.CHARLES BOTHA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam